Returning to civilian life presents new opportunities — and challenges — for Veterans. Many Veterans look forward to life after the military because they can spend more time with family and friends and no longer have to worry about military structure or deployment. At the same time, transitioning out of the military may raise a lot of questions. You may wonder what you are going to do with this new phase of your life, or whether you will be able to find a job. You may think about going back to school, but not know where to start. Or you may miss the order and discipline of military life (compared with civilian life) and wonder if you will be able to adjust.
If you are a member of the National Guard or Reserves, you may be worried about transitioning from military service back into your civilian workplace. Will you be able to pick up where you left off? Will your colleagues understand what you’ve been through and welcome you back?
Whether you served during a war or in peacetime, your experiences in the service — both positive and negative — have made you a different person than you were before you entered, and may have changed the way you look at things and deal with people. Stressful or traumatic situations may have resulted in habits or ways of coping that can be misunderstood or problematic in civilian life.
